Today's devotion (2/26/07): 1 Kings 19:11-12

"The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." 1 Kings 19: 11-12

This scripture is from my reading today in "LET GO"... when we're in the midst of a waiting period, as I have been in myself, we often sit and wait for some monumental sign from God as to what our next step should be. God doesn't always use huge things to speak to us though-- sometimes he speaks in a whisper. It's our job to recognize that and be still. Our lives are so filled with noise and activity-- it can be deafening. Sometimes, when it feels like God is being silent-- when we can't hear His Voice or see His direction, maybe He's just trying to quiet us. As a former school teacher, I learned that sometimes the best way to get the attention of a rowdy group of kids was to begin speaking quietly rather than trying to scream over them. When we can't hear God for all the noise around us, maybe it's just because He is trying to get our attention through speaking in a gentle whisper.

Waiting for Lightning, Steven Curtis Chapman:

Standing on the edge of the truth
Looking out at the view
Of all you used to believe
From where you are
You can see you're far away from home

Echoes of the life you once knew
Call out to you from across the divide
And you know it's time
To step back over the line
But you're...

Waiting for lightning
A sign that it's time for a change
You're listening for thunder
While He quietly whispers your name

Night falls and the curtain goes down
No one's around, it's just you and the truth
As you lie and wait
For a feeling to take you by storm

Somewhere in the depths of your heart
Where it's empty and dark
There's a flicker of light
And the Spirit calls
But do you know notice at all?
Or are you...

Waiting for lightning
A sign that it's time for a change
You're listening for thunder
While He quietly whispers your name 
But the sign and the word
Have already been given
And now it's by faith
That we must look, and we must listen
Instead of...

Waiting for lightning
A sign that it's time for a change
You're listening for thunder
While He quietly whispers your name 
He whispers your name
Don't wait, don't wait